When visiting Lisboa, Portugal, don’t miss these two:

a) the Museu Colecção Berardo

At the outskirts of the City of Lissabon with many other things to look at, this museum definitely has some very attractive and important things to offer. In it’s permanent collection you will find the art works of “greats” like Gerhard Richter, Cindy Sherman, Frank Stella, Richard Serra, Alighiero e Boetti, and … you name them.

All images © artists and courtesy of Museu Colecção Berardo

The permanent exhibition part currently (spring 2013) is set up into different defining directions of contemporary art: Systemic Painting (Agnes Martin, Neil Williams, Stella, and more), Minimalism (Donald Judd, Dan Flavin, plus more), Conceptualism (Joseph Kosuth with Self-Described and Self-Defined), Revolutionary Body (Ernesto de Sousa, Ana Mendieta), Nam June Paik and Bill Viola, James Coleman, Support-Surface and BMPT (acronym for Daniel Buren, Olivier Mosset, Michel Parmentier and Niele Toroni), Marcel Broodthaers, Land Art (Hamish Fulton, see our blog on his art walk in Zurich and Richard Hamilton), Arte Povera (Giovanni Anselmo, Mario Merz et al), Christian Boltanski, The Return of Genre (Richter, Poltke, Kiefer), Jeff Wall, Appropriationism, German Photography (the Bechers, Andreas Gursky), Nan Goldin, Traumatic Realism (big Judy installation by Tony Oursler), Discourses of Alerity (Ricardo Reis), Stan Douglas, Gabriel Orozco, João Maria Gusmão and Pedro Paiva. The italic titles and names are sourced from the great little script by Director Pedro Lapa with AnaMary Bilbao and Ana Dinger which is a must take away, free as the entry to this wonderful place.

In addition to this you will enjoy the temporary exhibitions, of course.

and, … oh, nearly forgot …

b) the Pastéis in the Antiga Confeitaria de Belém wonderful vanilla sweets in the nearby café, best with some cinnamon on top.

Hungry? See here for the recipe

Now tell others and write an ecard by Portuguese artist Eduardo Bessa on ARTregards.com!

Guest Blog by Michael-Franz Woels | 09.01.2013   skug magazine

Luis Mario Casanova Sorolla macht Tanz und den Entstehungsprozess sichtbar und zeigt die Bewegungsflüsse aus einer anderen, ungewöhnlichen Perspektive.

Luis Mario Casanova Sorolla

Der bildende Künstler und Tänzer Luis Mario Casanova Sorolla hat ein künstlerisches Aufzeichnungssystem für die Makro-Raumschriften der Raumwege eines Tänzerkörpers entwickelt. Die fixierten Bodenmuster stellen farbliche Kartografien von Choreografien dar. Sie visualisieren Bewegungsphrasen und -akzentuierungen und wurden im Selbstversuch mit dem akrobatischen Bewegungsvokabular der afrobrasilianischen Tanz- und Kampfkunst Capoeira, die Luis schon seit langem praktiziert, getestet. Für sein Abschlussprojekt »Signapura« an der Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Wien 2012 hat der bereits international aktive Künstler die Bewegungsformationen von klassisch trainierten Tänzerinnen und Tänzern des Wiener Staatsopern Balletts und ihren speziellen Tanzkodex poetisch und farblich verdichtet. Im Interview mit skug gibt er Auskunft über die Bilderserie »Signapura« und seinen Werdegang als Künstler.

skug: Du hast ja schon früh mit der Malerei und auch mit dem Kampftanz Capoeira begonnen. Hattest Du Vorbilder in Deiner Familie? Wurdest Du von Deiner Familie stark gefördert?

Luis Mario Casanova Sorolla: Meine Eltern haben mich sehr gefördert. Ich komme aus einer Mittelschichfamilie. Zu Hause gab es keine Musikinstrumente oder Literaturbücher. Mein Vater war Verkäufer, meine Mutter Hausfrau. Als kleines Kind habe ich viel am Boden gezeichnet. Meine Eltern entdeckten meine außergewöhnliche Freude daran und wollten dieses Talent fördern. Ich kam dann als einziges Kind zu einer Zeichenprofessorin für Erwachsene. Sie war sehr streng. Ich bekam ein Blatt Papier und einen Kohlestift und musste als Achtjähriger gleich klassische Stilleben zeichnen. Damals schon habe ich mich gerne mit sehr viel älteren Menschen unterhalten und war sehr neugierig. Zu Vorbildern in meiner Familie: es gab mütterlicherseits einen sehr wichtigen Maler. Er hieß Joaquin Sorolla und war einer der bedeutendsten Maler Spaniens, der als Impressionist weltweit Aufträge hatte. Die spanische Botschaft in Peru hat uns zwei Mal zu Ausstellungen seiner Werke im Nationalmuseum von Lima eingeladen. In Mitteleuropa ist er allerdings nicht so bekannt. Einer meiner Onkel war auch ein begabter Künstler. Er war vor allem handwerklich sehr talentiert und hat vom Sessel bis zu Torbögen so ziemlich alles bauen können.

Kannst Du kurz die Bedeutung deiner Bilderserie »Signapura« erklären?
Ich versuche, meinen Werken stets eine Identität zu geben. Als diese Bilder entstanden, war auch mein Zen-Meister, der Philosoph und Theologe Daniel Medvedov, gerade in Wien. Als Akademiker ist er mit der lateinischen Sprache vertraut. Das hat mich inspiriert. »Signapura« steht für Unterschrift und etwas Pures. Der Begiff »Signapura« lässt sich ja vom lateinischen Signum, mit der Bedeutung Zeichen, herleiten. Dieser Begriff drückt aber für mich zu wenig diese Eigenheit aus, die meine Bilderserie charakterisiert. Diese Bilder sind mehr als Körperunterschriften oder Körperstempel. Ich versuche einen reinen, transparenten, puren Bewegungsmoment festzuhalten. Deshalb kam dann auch das lateinische Wort »pura« mit der Bedeutung »rein« dazu. Ich habe diese beiden Wörter dann zu »Signapura« vereint.

Wie kam es dann zur Zusammenarbeit mit den Tänzerinnen und Tänzern des Wiener Staatsopernballets? Was hat Capoeira mit Ballett zu tun?
Ich hatte immer eine tiefe Bewunderung für Tanz und Bewegung. Schon als Kind habe ich in der Schule in Peru Folklore getanzt. Sehr faszinierend finde ich auch den peruanischen Scherentanz, einen sehr akrobatischen Ritualtanz. Zwischen Capoeira und Ballet sehe ich für mich noch keine Verbindung – nur vielleicht zum Teil ästhetisch, visuell in den Bewegungen. Aber ich bin nicht von Capoeira zum Ballett gekommen. Capoeira ist sozusagen eine eigene Straße, Ballett eine Seitengasse. Diese Seitengasse habe ich kennengelernt als ich nach Österreich gekommen bin. Ich war bis zu dem Zeitpunkt, als ich eine Ballerina aus Spanien hier in Wien kennenlernte, noch nie in der Oper gewesen. Sie hat mich dann einmal zu einer Vorstellung eingeladen und das hat mein Leben komplett geändert. Die Musik und die Tänzerinnen und Tänzer haben mich stark beeindruckt. Durch sie lernte ich dann auch andere professionelle Tänzerinnen und Tänzer kennen, was ja gar nicht so leicht ist, da diese durch ihr hartes, strenges Training fast kein Privatleben haben und eher unter sich bleiben. Ich hatte dann auch fast zwei Jahre lang eine Beziehung mit einer Staatsoperntänzerin, wir haben auch zusammengelebt und ich habe den disziplinierten, entbehrungsreichen Alltag mitbekommen. Durch stundenlange Konversationen mit Balletttänzern über Tanz und Bewegung habe ich sehr viel über klassischen Tanz und Ballett erfahren. Meine Freundin konnte mir über ihre Kunst damals eigentlich nicht so viel erzählen.

Wie kamst du dann auf die Idee, Tanzbewegungen abzubilden?
Die Spuren der Gummisohlen von Tänzerinnen und Tänzern auf Linoleum machten mir bewusst, wieviel mehr noch hinter diesen Bewegungen und dem damit verbundenen Ausdruck des Tanzes steckt. Wie kann man Tanz in Malerei festhalten? Die unsichtbaren Zeichnungen als sichtbare auf Papier bannen? Die Überlegung war, aus diesen Linien und Kurven einen künstlerischen Prozess entstehen zu lassen, ohne dabei den tänzerischen Ausdruck in irgendeiner Form zu beeinflussen und damit zu verfälschen. Zunächst war die individuelle Gestaltung einer Signatur durch Tanz Ziel dieses Projekts. Für einen Tänzer, der sich in der Bewegung seines Körpers ausdrückt, gibt es keine freiere und authentischere Form ein Signum zu hinterlassen. Jeder Tänzer sollte also frei, ohne Rücksicht auf das Ergebnis, tanzen können. Mit zeitlichem und optischem Abstand zum Ergebnis stellte ich fest, dass man aus dem entstanden Bild ästhetische Formen lesen kann, die immer wieder in dynamischer Weise auftreten.

Gibt es für Dich Überschneidungen zwischen den künstlerischen Ausdrucksformen Malerei, Tanz und Meditation?
In der Zen-Malerei geht es a posteriori um Beobachtungen. Du kontemplierst zum Beispiel über einen Wasserfarbenfleck und mit ein paar Strichen arbeitest du dann ein finales Bild heraus. Vom Prozess her sehe ich keine Verbindung zwischen Tanz und Malerei. Aber dieses Entstehen lassen aus dem freien Moment heraus, ohne dabei Änderungen vorzunehmen, das sehe ich als Parallele. So wie die Bewegungs-Prints der Tänzerinnen und Tänzer bei »Signapura«. Ich respektiere diese freien Ausdrucks-Momente und greife nicht ein, um diese Bewegungsdokumente nachträglich zu verändern. Und das eigenartige Gefühl dabei ist, dass ich die Bilder doch wie selbstgemalt empfinde.

Wie ergänzt sich die Bewegungs-Philosophie von Capoeira mit der ästhetisch-kontemplativen Ästhetik von Zen?
Zen ist eine Lebenseinstellung. Der Versuch, nicht ständig nach Anerkennung zu streben, nicht ständig im Mittelpunkt stehen zu müssen. Dein Ego kann dich vergiften. Die Meditation, die ich von Daniel Medvedov gelernt habe, kann ich überall anwenden. Die Vorstellung: tief Luft holen, sozusagen implodieren, und dann langsam ausatmen und loslassen. Generell ist die Beachtung der Ausatmung dabei sehr wichtig. Du bist entspannt nach außen, und innerlich voll konzentriert. Hier sehe ich auch eine Ähnlichkeit zu Capoeira. Oder auch gewisse Bewegungsabläufe, wie zum Beispiel die »Vingativa« in Capoeira, die findet man auch in Tai-Chi. Alle Kampfsportdisziplinen beinhalten meditative Elemente. Capoeira und Zen ist die Verbindung mit der Natur gemeinsam. Tai-Chi umfasst dreitausend Jahre alte spirituelle und naturverbundene Bewegungsformen. Capoeira bzw. Batuque sind Bewegungen mit afrikanischen Einflüssen, die von sehr naturverbundenen Menschen stammen und teilweise animalisch anmuten. Capoeira ist allerdings eine der jüngsten Kampfsportarten mit einer vierhundertjährigen Geschichte und entwickelt sich noch weiter.

Kannst Du mit dem Begriff Vision etwas anfangen?
Ich selber verwende dieses Wort selten. Vielleicht in Zusammenhang mit Projekten und das hat vermutlich auch mit meiner Zen-Philosophie zu tun. Sobald ich die Projekte »sehe« sind sie sozusagen auch schon wieder passiert. Das »Was« ist entscheidend für mich, nicht das »Wie«. Bei Signapura ist mir wichtig, was da auf den Bildern drauf ist. Wie sie entstehen, die Tänzer und Tänzerinnen tanzen, die Pigmentfarben zusammengesetzt sind etc. finde ich dabei nicht entscheidend.

Arbeitest Du auch im öffentlichen Raum?
Durch Capoeira und das Tanzen kenne ich die Situation, auf einer Bühne zu sein und etwas darzustellen. Vor sechs Jahren habe ich auch einmal live auf einer Bühne ein Model gemalt. Ich wollte den Prozess der Malerei sichtbar machen, habe dabei auch mit Schauspielern zusammengearbeitet. Wir haben einen Tag lang geprobt und einen Tag dann improvisiert. Das Bild wurde noch am selben Abend versteigert. Und um auf Signapura zurückzukommen: Ich möchte ja das Tanzen und den Entstehungsprozess sichtbar machen. Ich möchte das Tanzen aus einer anderen, ungewöhnlichen Perspektive zeigen. Das Bindemittel dafür ist der unsichtbare Schweiß, vor allem wenn barfuß getanzt wird.

Welche Rolle spielt Raum generell bei Deinen Arbeiten? Was fällt Dir im Speziellen zu den Begriffen Tanzraum, Kompositionsraum und Denkraum ein?
Raum ist etwas, das ich als Maler nicht immer kontrollieren kann. Am liebsten würde ich mir natürlich meinen eigenen Raum erschaffen, mit den von mir gewünschten Dimensionen … also ein eigenes Atelier. Zum Malen selber brauche ich keinen großen physischen Raum, da reicht ein Schreibtisch. Für mein Diplomarbeitsprojekt wollte ich keinen Außenraum verwenden, sondern einen großen Raum mit einer entsprechenden Raumhöhe. Die Aula in der Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Wien war für mein Diplomarbeitsprojekt »Signapura« der Kompositionsraum für die Tänzerinnen und Tänzer. Und zum Begriff und zur Größe des Denkraums: der ist für mich infinit.

SIGNAPURA “COLOUR IMPROVISATION” from CasanovaSorolla on Vimeo.

Michael-Franz Woels ist freier Autor und Musiker und auch Obmann/Gründungsmitglied des Vereins Kampolerta. Wir danken ihm für seinen Gastbeitrag. Original-Beitrag erschienen in skug – Journal für Musik.

Bilder von Casanova Sorolla aus der Serie “Signapura” können auf ARTregards.com verschickt werden

Signapura - Classical Ballet Improvisation © Casanova Sorolla

Signapura - Modern Dance Improvisation 1 © Casanova Sorolla

Signapura - Modern Dance Improvisation 2 © Casanova Sorolla

Emily Puetter is fascinated by angels. On the shores of Marocco, in Ifitry, she discovered the form of angels formed by the movement of the water. She photographed the angels and made fine art prints out of this. By adding charcoal, pastel colors and gold-pigments she accentuated the forms and gave the angels a shine.

Angels Zikiel & Ziquiel © Emily Puetter - Angels that shine a light on us and fulfill wishes, show us the way and appear in special times like Christmas

Now for Christmas you can send your good wishes to your family and friends reinforced by an angel of your choice. Or, you just send the angel with a free wish, which the receiver of the art card will have.

Angel Azazel, leader of the Angels © Emily Puetter

Angel Baroa, Angel of harmony © Emily Puetter

Angel Dynamis © Emily Puetter - Symbolizes the divine forces

Angel Miniel @ Emily Puetter - Angel that makes a cold heart loving

Angel Rachel © Emily Puetter - Angel of humour and self-confidence

Angel Sereda © Emily Puetter - Angel of purification

Angel Zamael © Emily Puetter - Angel that doubles the sexual delights

Angel Babhnéa © Emily Puetter - Angel that protects you

Michael Neil composed the music to the work of Emily Puetter. For Emily Puetter and Michael Neil their work is an hommage to this wonderful country. Michael Neil expresses his feelings about Marocco: “The diverse rhythms of a vast multi-layered nation, divided between the Atlantic Ocean, Sahara, and Atlas Mountain range, left an indelible impression on me. I call it the ‘lines of life.’ For, in all its diversity, whether the peasant farmers tilling the land, the shantytown folk going about their daily business, or the complex wheeling and dealing of the marketeers in Marrakech, Maroccan sights and sounds have woven their way into each sonic mural…..Emily Puetter’s original paintings reflect not only her response to the visual splendour of the Maroccan landscape but to the materials of the environment and cultural aspects of the society.”  A book in German with her work containing Neil’s CD was published in 2012 with PalmArtPress.

A Yellow Submarine rocks and rolls through rough sea. Can you hear and feel the party that’s going on inside the tube? Not that generation? Listen to the song while you check out the image. Does this make sense?

The Yellow Submarine © Nicholas Smyrnios

Greek artist Nicholas Smyrnios brings back the Sixties and Seventies in his works showing the faces and illustrations of the Fab 4 from Liverpool and their counterparts, the Stones, who showed the tongue to everyone, no respect. The semi-hiding with stripes gives way to thoughts about social waves, past times and stimulates to remember the own life and way of life in this past period. The style of his art is a tribute to Pop Art and Op Art, the fancy and popular art of that time. Smyrnios was trying a long time to combine these two styles and was finally  finding a balance between them by developing his original visual style.

Love Singing © Nicholas Smyrnios

One really can hear the sounds while you can actually see the vinyl record turning around and think of the covers, of kids screaming and going bananas, of parents seeing the end of the world nearing. While the guitar gently weeps you can see the hands of the artists glide over the guitar neck, producing sounds never heard before.

This year, the world celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the Beatles. It’s 50 years since the Beatles became popular with their first record and hit song “Love me Do” in the British charts. John, Paul, George and Ringo, names every kid knew at the time. Now their faces are shown and hidden in elaborated artistic views by Smyrnios. Most specially when he shows doves flying out of the eyes of John Lennon. What else could you do but listen to ‘Imagine‘ and think of Yoko Ono?

Above Us only Sky

Obviously the artist is fascinated and inspired by the Beatles. But Smyrnios also gives Satisfaction (listen) to the Rolling Stones with his work Still Going Strong.

Rolling Stones - Still going Strong © Nicholas Smyrnios

Nicholas Smyrnios studied at Stockholm’s College University of Art and Design (Konstfack), a school founded on the principles of Bauhaus and still considered the heart of Scandinavian Design. He graduated in 1981. He says:”Since the late 80s I have worked in a digital environment shriving to get the maximum out of the new media technology and to continuously drive my creativity to higher levels. Being continuously connected to the representational art, but at the same time attracted by the power of geometric abstraction, I tried to find an efficient way for combining harmoniously elements from Pop and Op art.” This nicely sums up, what you should expect from his art. He also covers other topics such as movie stars, greek gods and mathematics.  Discover more from him at his artist page where you will also find the link to his website.

Ana Soler is a new artist exhibiting at ARTregards.com. Born 1972  in Sevilla, Spain, she has already a tremendous portfolio to present with most interesting themes and varied approaches. She followed her art education, starting in Sevilla, and was awarded scholarships to Firenze, Edingburgh, Strasbourg, Rome and Basel. She was invited to several stays in Nagano and Tokyo in Japan, Taiwan and to a resident program in Ottawa. Furthermore Ana Soler received scholarships from various art museums in Spain.

With her most recent art installation project with 2’000 suspended tennis balls that appear to bounce through Mustang Art Gallery in Alicante she gained international attention also throughout the world wide web.

Causa Efecto © Ana Soler

One important topic of Ana Soler that inspired her to many of her works, is the notion of pain. Pain as a very important issue in our lives reminds us of our vulnarability and death, therefore also of our existence. Scars are encravings of suffered pains and an imprints that never erase, physically or mentally.

Stabs in the Air © Ana Soler

“The installation “Stab in the Air”, consisting of a cloud of 3000 knives floating in the air, is a metaphor for the silent pain that is known to those who experienced it. It represents those thousands of aggressions that many suffer daily and that no one brings up as they experience them deep down inside alone. Invisible micro wounds.” (Ana Soler)

In other works Ana creates knives as instruments that cut away but also grow on the other hand. They can hurt but the wounds could also inspire new thoughts. What an interesting revelation.

Cutter Growing © Ana Soler

And what about love? Love may leave wounds at some point, tender or bitter,  deep or trivial, and engrave scarves in our heart and soul. Beautifully symbolised in this petal image.

Love © Ana Soler

Ana Solers’ work is broad, very reflected, inspiring, involving and most interesting. We will let you know of her other topics in one of our future blogs. All images are available as e art cards at ARTregards where you can see more of her interesting art or find the link to her website. Inspiration will be spread as you send a mesmerizing message to … whoever.

Jeff Koons, 2012, Foto: Chris Fanning, to be viewed on http://www.fondationbeyeler.ch/ausstellungen/jeff-koons/biographie

Art to me is a humanitarian act and I believe that there is a responsibility that art should somehow be able to affect mankind, to make the word a better place.

I believe that my art gets across the point that I’m in this morality theatre trying to help the underdog, and I’m speaking socially here, showing concern and making psychological and philosophical statements for the underdog.

That’s also the point of view of Swiss Artist Ueli Kuehni in his artwork.

Woodstock 08 © Uehli Kuehni image available as e art card

I believe in advertisement and media completely. My art and my personal life are based on it. I think that the art world would probably be a tremendous reservoir for everybody involved in advertising.

 

I think about my work every minute of the day.

 

I try to be a truthful artist and I try to show a level of courage. I enjoy that. I’m a messenger.

 

Art is information in advance.

 

Whereas live leaves traces in the sand according to Kriste Oja, Finnish artist.

Let The Sand Tell My Story © Kriste Oja e art cart at ARTregards

 I have always thought my art has been very political.

Alan Greenspan © Geoff Stein

Art is often very political! Geoff Stein offers political e art cards e.g. with Alan Greespan.

Morality has always played a very important part in my work.

 

My work is a support system for people to feel good about themselves.

As morality seems to have supplanted civilization, I move on to the spiritual.

 

I believe to enter the eternals is through the biological.

 

Contradiction is a powerful tool.

 

Debasement ist what gives the bourgeois freedom.

 

I am interested in sensuality, I am interested in power.

 

By some I am viewed as a sinner, but I am really a saint.

 

In the porcelain pieces I wanted to be able to show the sexuality in the material.

 

I believe that taste is really unimportant.

 

Art can and should be used to stimulate social mobility.

Quotes found at brainyquote.com and Fondation Beyeler. Please feel free to add other quotes of Jeff Koons in a comment.

When I first met an art piece of Jeff Koons, roughly guessed 20 years ago – it was some sort of porcelain work with flower sujets as we know them for instance from the Meissen porcelaine produced near Dresden since the 18th century – I wondered and I asked myself: “Will I ever understand the fame of this artist and will I ever like it? Isn’t this pure kitsch?” This is a good example why one cannot judge an artist’s work by seeing just one piece of art. These days and only until September 2nd 2012, you have the opportunity to see a wide selection of Jeff Koons’ oeuvre in Basel at the excellent Fondation Beyeler and I promise , you will end up saying: “Wow! Jeff Koons is an absolute genius!”

First, I have to share my enthusiasm for the huge paintings of his “Celebration” series. I am catapulted back to my childhood (even though the toys painted compare rather to the ones of my children). These huge, ultra-realistic toy landscapes make you wish to enter this happy child’s world. I especially love the little snowman who is stepping ahead full of enthusiasm, happy, unafraid and ready to conquer the world, not being aware of any bad things around him. Also the happy pig makes you want to be part of this everything-is-good-world. Another painting shows an oversized playmobil figurine, that is looking at you in this unspoiled, innocent, pure and happy manner that makes you want to be back in this magic world of childhood. But I tell you, of course you cannot have these true feelings looking at this image below, you have to see the painting in real!

Jeff Koons Shelter, 1996/1998 Oil on canvas 300 x 376,2 cm collection of Rachel and Jean-Pierre Lehmann Royal Academy of Arts

There are also two other very impressive large paintings “Cake” and “Play-Doh” – hyperrealistic so that you want to take a bite of the cake and squeeze your fingers in the play-doh. And when you go close, you’ll see that the paintings consist of different little parts of one-color fields, filled like painting after numbers. Incredible! By the way, it took more than 10 years until Jeff Koons was content with the outcome of Play-Doh!

Jeff Koons, Cake, 1995–97. Oil on canvas, 318.5 x 295.6 cm, European private collection © Jeff Koons. Photo: Jeff Koons Studio / Jim Strong, New York (On view at the Beyeler Foundation)

Jeff Koons, Play-Doh, 1995–2007. Oil on canvas, 333.4 x 282.5 cm, Collection of the artist © Jeff Koons. Photo: Jeff Koons Studio, New York (On view at the Beyeler Foundation)

Of course you all know some of Jeff Koons seemingly air-filled objects like the Balloon Dog, Tulips, Flowers, Heart and many more. When you stand in front of them your are stunned by the beauty and the perfection of the forms and wonder about the different reflections of the viewers and the room in the art work. They look completely light like balloons but are made of chromium steel! I can understand that people spend millions to have a piece in their home or garden.

Jeff Koons, Balloon Swan (Magenta), 2004–11. High chromium stainless steel with transparent color coating, 350.5 x 302.3 x 238.8 cm, Private collection © Jeff Koons. Photo: Jeff Koons Studio, New York (On view at the Beyeler Foundation)

Jeff Koons, Balloon Dog (Red), 1994–2000. High chromium stainless steel with transparent color coating, 307.3 x 363.2 x 114.3 cm, European private collection © Jeff Koons. Photo: Jeff Koons Studio, New York (On view at the Beyeler Foundation)

The exhibition shows two other series of Jeff Koons “Banality” and “The New” from earlier days, works of the eighties. In “The New” we encounter various compositions of vacuum cleaners. In different sizes they provoke the feeling of real beings, of family, father, mother and child or in the same size as lovers or partners. Breathing fresh air and being clean and responsible for the clean they stand for a good family or persons and integrity (or maybe the attempt for it). When you hoover your house, life is clean and in order.

Jeff Koons, New Shelton Wet/Drys Tripledecker, 1981. Three vacuum cleaners, acrylic, and fluorescent lights, 316.2 x 71.1 x 71.1 cm, Des Moines Art Center Permanent Collections, purchased with funds from Roy Halston Frowick by exchange, 1991 © Jeff Koons. Photo: Jeff Koons Studio, New York (On view at the Beyeler Foundation)

In the serie “Banality” we encounter Jeff Koons referring to the barock. Have a look at his famous “Ushering in Banality”.

Jeff Koons, Ushering in Banality, 1988. Polychromed wood, 96.5 x 157.5 x 76.2 cm, Private collection © Jeff Koons. Photo: © TASCHEN GmbH / Schaub/Höffner, Cologne (On view at the Beyeler Foundation)

The pig standing for luck has to be forced to his luck. The pig also stands for the popular, the normal, rural, trivial, folksy – everyone used to have a pig and it was certainly not an animal of high culture. Jeff Koons now heaves the pig on the pedestal into the heights of the art world. The ordinary life has become the focus of our attention. Flanked by angels and Jeff Koons as a child himself pushes the pig forwards. With gloves, maybe because he is at the dirty end whereas the angels are on the clean sides of the pig. All sculptures are not made by the master himself, also this one was sculptured by Franz Wieser. Jeff Koons also gets all other of his works done after his exact instructions, directions and submittals.

Jeff Koons, Michael Jackson and Bubbles, 1988 Porzellan, 106,7 x 179,1 x 82,6 cm The Broad Art Foundation, Santa Monica © Jeff Koons Foto: Jeff Koons Studio, New York / Douglas M. Parker Studio, Los Angeles

Jeff Koons speaks of “Michael Jackson and Bubbles” as the “contemporary Pietà”. And Indeed, Michael Jackson was and is admired by many as superstar. He is surrounded by golden roses and hugs his chimpanzee Bubbles in his arms. Jeff Koons wants to show with his art what is moving us in our lifes and wants to reach a great audience with it.

There is another interesting mirror work “Christ and the Lamb”.

Christ and the Lamb, 1988, Jeff Koons

Da Vinci's Virgin and Child with St. Anne

If you look at the mirroring extract of this rokoko style mirror and compare it to Leonardo da Vinci’s  infant Jesus, stretching out his arms for the lamb (around 1508, on view at the Louvre, Paris), you will discover that Jeff Koons is displaying the silhouette of this extract of da Vinci’s painting in the mirror glass. We, the viewers are reflected in the sacred body. Do we think that we are the sacred nowadays? That is how we discover many interesting messages of the artist in the works of Jeff Koons’ “Banality” series. And why does he call it “Banality”? The Holy Mary has become Michael Jackson, we have become the sacred, viewed  in the body of the infant Jesus and Jesus at the cross has become a cute cat in a sock! The world has truly come to banalities! I dare say I understand now the value of this art and realize it is not kitsch at all. Jeff Koons gives it a perfect sense by embedding the messages of his works in a Barock surrounding.

Jeff Koons, Cat on a Clothesline, 1994–2001 (Celebration), Rotationally molded polyethylene, 123 x 110 x 50 inches The Broad Art Foundation, Santa Monica © Jeff Koons (On view at Fondation Beyeler, Basel)

Of all his sculptures, Jeff Koons has made three copies of each in slight variations of colors and an additional artist’s copy. The three sculptures were then exhibited at the same time in different places. From a marketing point of view this was a very clever idea. Thus he could triple exhibitions, views and press coverage. And he is right! So good that people have more opportunities to see it! Artists shouldn’t be that stingy with their art fearing to devaluate their art!

It is indeed a great opportunity if you have the chance to visit this exhibition at the Beyeler’s. I am very impressed by the perfectionism of Jeff Koons. It tells me that if you want to be good at something then you should not be satisfied until you have attempted to reach perfectionism. And, his art evokes our feelings. And this is art! So hurry up, you have only got until September 2nd 2012!

Split-Rocker, 2000-2012 by Jeff Koons, in the garden of Fondation Beyeler, Basel

We met at the Rivington & Sons Hotel Bar in the Prime Tower to make a tour through Zurich’s hippest area at the time and see a selection of the Art and the City public art festival 2012. Where the highest building of the city (also referred to as downtown Switzerland) stands now, formerly  the industrial area of Maag gearwheel factory was situated. Maybe it is a tribute to this company founded in 1913 that our meeting place looks like a New York bar back from this epoque. Beautiful setting!

We started our walk and can you believe it? Right at the beginning everybody was handed out a personal art work! Yes! Matt Mullican, the 1952 born US artist, now living in Berlin, designed the Art and the City map that locates all shown art works. He calls his conception of the world: „the theory of the five worlds“: yellow stands for the idea, black and white for the language, green for subjects matters, blue for the daily routine and red symbolizes the subjective conceptions.

Art and the City Map by Matt Mullican, image courtesy of www.artandthecity.com

And off we went to confront us right away with three statements of Christian Jankowski, (D, 1968, working in Berlin) in “The Great Gesture”: “Places for Art”, “The Role of Art”,  “Art must set a sign at this place”. Can you make out the statement on the concrete below the bridge? Yes, there can’t be enough art, everywhere!

Die Grosse Geste, 2012 by Christian Jankowski, image courtesy of www.artandthecity.com

Not far from this one…. are we observed by suspended cameras by Taiyo Onorato & CiCo Krebs (CH, 1979, Berlin)? Let’s hurry away, big brother is watching us…! We arrived at the Steinfelsplatz with one of the highlights of this Zurich exhibition. It is the over dimensioned girl Vanessa by Alex Hanimann (CH, 1955, St.Gallen). Made after a real 18 years old girl, this chrome steel sculpture stands for the prototype of a modern girl. Behind her, you look at the former industrial area of the Steinfels soap manufacturer, founded 1830. You can still buy their lead products “Maga”, “Niaxa” and “Dish-Lav” to make your laundry and wash your dishes. The brands belong to Henkel now.

Vanessa by Alex Hanimann

Our next stop was at the Schiffbauhalle. Zurich owes great thanks to Christoph Marthaler, it’s former ingenious theatre director, who was the initiator to conserve this hall and made it possible that in the year 2000 the Schauspielhaus of Zurich could open this wonderful place for more performances, for good food and jazz. Believe it or not, formerly the turbine producer Escher-Wyss was constructing ships in these halls.

Der Schiffbau Mitte der 30er Jahre, Bildarchiv Escher Wyss AG Zürich

Inside the Hall we find  the installation of Fred Sandback (USA, 1943-2003). 29 acryl threads span from the ceiling to the floor and provoke a feeling of a curtain, just as in a theatre performance.

Untitled, 1985 by Fred Sandback

Coming out again we were searching for the artwork of Saâdane Afif (F, 1970, Berlin). It is the tiny bronze soap box (Steinfels?) in the corner on the floor. A speaker’s podest! We took the opportunity to speak up.

From the Turbine Place, we looked at the facade behind the Schiffbau and saw the huge map of “Metropole Europe” by Yona Friedmann (F, 1923, Paris) which is a great vision and the artist’s wish to connect the main cities of Europe with an efficient public train transport system. Each hour a train should depart to the other main cities.

Metropole Europe, 2012, Yona Friedman, with courtesy of art and the city

We then entered Puls 5. This was formerly a foundry hall, established 1898 by Escher-Wyss. In the back of the hall we were suddenly irritated by someone’s voice whispering something in our ears. Looking up the ceiling, we discovered the sound sculpture “Skyliner” of Doug Aitken (USA, 1968, Los Angeles). The sound was hard to hear in the contrast of the typical muzak-sound of all shopping centers.

Coming back to Turbine Place, we saw it: the impossible! “Lifting the Earth”, Vanessa Billy (CH, 1978, Zürich) gave it a try. Archimedes said: “Give me a place to stand on and I will move the Earth“. Maybe this is it! Maybe here is the reason why our earth is still in equilibrum with the universe! Thank you, Vanessa!

Lifting the Earth, 2012 by Vanessa Billy, image courtesy of www.artandthecity.com

Upon this we crossed the big Hardstrasse, leading in and out of Zurich, using a small walking bridge and were lead to the micro cosmos of idyllic family gardens in the middle of this uprising developing part of Zurich. We met “Apple Tree Boy and Apple Tree Girl” by Paul McCarthy (USA, 1945, Los Angeles). In America these hummel figurines correspond to Europe’s garden gnomes, usually standing in exactly these family gardens. Positioned here in Switzerland the artwork also hints to our land’s foundation myth, created by Friedrich Schiller’s “William Tell” saga, in which William Tell is forced to shoot the apple from the head of his son with a crossbow. He hits the apple, is led free and can initiate the first three Swiss cantons to freedom of the Habsburg kings.

Apple Tree Boy Apple Tree Girl, 2010, by Paul McCarthy, image courtesy of www.westnetz.ch

A short walk to the rear of the Mobimo Tower and we detected two photographies of famous photographer Roe Ethridge (USA, 1969, New York). During his 10 day stay in Zurich he was capturing the new developments of Zurich in amazing photographs to be seen on a total of 350! posters placed throughout Zurich or see the Tagesanzeiger addition of May 24th, with a selection of his portfolio. In front of Mobimo (main sponsor of the exhibition) building parts of Charlotte Posenenske (D, 1930-1985) installation “square tubes, Serie D” are to be seen that you could also discover in other places in the city. Are these ventilation tubes? What are they for?

And can you make out what connection this huge “The No Problem Sculpture” by Not Vital (CH, 1948, Sent, Agadez, New York, Beijing) has with the Mobimo Tower? The edge length of the cube measures 81 meters. Exactly the heights of the Mobimo Tower! And, it also has exactly the depths of a well shaft in Agadez, a Sahara oasis in Niger. If this is not connecting the world….

The No Problem Sculpture, 2012, by Not Vital, image courtesy Werner Mäder, Zürich / Can you now imagine how high the Mobimo Tower in the back is?

While Not Vital is pointing to happenings far away in Africa, Pierre Haubensack (CH, 1935, Zürich) points his finger to the developments in Zurich West: his huge permanent wall painting “Net” is applied on the facade of a house that formerly was connected to another house that belonged to the city. The city tore their house down, whereas the other owner keeps his paradise in the middle of the developing surroundings.

Netz, 2011, Pierre Haubensack, Image courtesy of www.westnetz.ch

Finally we arrived back at the Prime Tower, where we looked at the white tree of Ugo Rondinone (CH,  1964, New York). This sculpture is not part of the Art and the City exhibition, but an exhibit of famous Presenhuber Gallery, situated just next to Prime Tower. An artificial tree, may I say, that it suits even more beautifully in this setting than a real tree?

I feel, you feel, we feel through each other into our selves, 2012, Ugo Rondinone

Next to it we encountered “A Lamp” by Oscar Tuazon (USA, 1978, Paris), a part of a ship wreck suiting therefore perfectly in this surrounding of former ship construction and industrial place.

A lamp, 2012, Oscar Tuazon, image with courtesy of www.artandthecity.com

We really deserved a nice refreshment at our Rivington & Sons Hotel Bar and enjoyed one last art piece, the audio art by San Keller (CH, 1971), Canti e Grida. The performance artist combines the adjectives used to describe the 43 Art and the City art works and makes an adaption to old 19th century market songs.

Have you ever got a diploma for a walk? You might get one if you were ready for a special experience on one of the walks of famed artist Hamish Fulton. He lives in Canterburry, UK, and works around the world with his very special walking art experiences. “An object cannot compete with an experience”, says Fulton. True, I must say, it was a very special afternoon following the Art and the City’s, Hamish Fulton’s and the Haeusler Contemporary’s joint call for a walking art action. Also, a new experience was blogging while walking. Read and enjoy the result here.

The downstreamers meet the upstreamers. Not two teams, two collections of individuals, everyone island single for themself. Or not? Is this combination of individuals more than just the individuals?  Look at their dresses, at their strange small steps, at how they look at us, at me, photograph us and we them. And gone they are. Turning back, we can see their backs. We make our way as we walk. And looking back we see the others going the way we came from. The artist must be somewhere in the other group. We are later told that he was at the end of the other group.